I am currently staying here on a Triple Entry Tourist Visa. Each entry is for 60 days and my first entry expires on the 24th of this month.

My question is, must I stay in Laos overnight to obtain a visa from the Thai embassy in Vientiane or will a simple visa run do the trick?

So far I have 3 conflicting answers... I hope I can just do a visa run as I don

Go to Nong Khai immigration and apply for a 30 day extension to your 60 day tourist visa, then when your extension expires, exit Thailand via the friendship bridge and re-enter to obtain your next 60 days.

You as far as I know, you can do a visa run to activate your next 60 day segment of your visa (if that is what your visa stipulates - three entries of 60 days each.)

Its not surprise that you get conflicting answers - nothing is certain in this country until after it happens. Be prepared.

If still in doubt, here's this (sourced from TV.com)

"6 month validity, 2 to 4 entry tourist visa: pre-obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate and will result in the holder obtaining a 60 day 'permission to stay' stamp upon entry. If required, this type of visa may be extended by 30 days at an immigration office, but after that time the holder must leave the country. The holder may then return to the Kingdom and will obtain a second 60 day 'permission to stay' stamp which can also be extended as previous and then the holder must leave. After the stipulated number of entries the visa is

IA, if I've understood you correctly, all you should need to do is exit and then immediately re-enter the country in order to activate your second (or third) visa.

There should be no need to stay overnight, unless you were applying for a new visa.

Irish I had a 6 month tourist visa all you do is go out and back in and get your passport stamped for another 60 days you must exit the country every 60 days
no offense to the other posters but trust me I am correct and I normanlyy do not say that oh and there is no over nite stay it like the subway turnstile in & out thai /lao border or thai/cambodia border both the same

Okay looks like I do not need an overnight stay... Good news. Thank you to all for your replies.

Great Topic, learning alot

Regarding the crossing the border and re-entry; is there a limit to this?

I'm hoping to stay for a year - Is that going to be possible? Won't the authorities/immigration say "hold on you've been back and forth 3 or 4 times"

Robtaff wrote:I'm hoping to stay for a year - Is that going to be possible? Won't the authorities/immigration say "hold on you've been back and forth 3 or 4 times"

Generally, if you pay for your approriate visas each time (as opposed to getting the free 30 day stamp on entry) there will be no limits to the number of times you can go 'back and forth'

Maybe the authorities think you are traveling around Thailand by elephant by wanting to stay for a year on tourist visas. Tourist visa to visit for tourist purposes only,do you have another agenda for staying so long,would have thought to visit all places of interest in Thailand need only take 6 months at best.

aznyron wrote:Irish I had a 6 month tourist visa all you do is go out and back in and get your passport stamped for another 60 days you must exit the country every 60 days
no offense to the other posters but trust me I am correct and I normanlyy do not say that oh and there is no over nite stay it like the subway turnstile in & out thai /lao border or thai/cambodia border both the same

I think in this instance you are incorrect.

A multiple entry tourist visa can be extended for another 30 days if application is made prior to the 60 day expiration. Cost, 1900 baht.

At the expiry of this 90 days leave Thailand and return immediatly to activate the second 60 days. Repeat the process and you will have 3 lots of 90 days. Cost will be 1900 baht x 3 and Laos visa fees of US$35 x 3.

Then visit the Thai Embassy in Laos and apply for another 90 day tourist visa. Going on the experiences of friends you may only get a single entry visa from Laos. This will entail a overnight stay in Vientienne.

Read the posts from Lee and papa Guido.

John

Robtaff,
Save yourself hassle. Get a multiple entery non im O visa from Hull Thai Consulate (reason for visa 'Visiting family & friends'). Can do it by post (easy) cost about 100 GBP (it has just gone up 10 I believe). This is valid for 1 year from issue. Allows stays of 90 days. At the end of 90 days go to Laos (you do not need to overnight in Laos) & you will get another 90 days in Thailand on return. If you make your last trip to Laos just before the 1 year visa expires you can actually stay in Thailand for nearly 15 months on it.

BobHelm wrote:Robtaff,
Save yourself hassle. Get a multiple entery non im O visa from Hull Thai Consulate (reason for visa 'Visiting family & friends'). Can do it by post (easy) cost about 100 GBP (it has just gone up 10 I believe). This is valid for 1 year from issue. Allows stays of 90 days. At the end of 90 days go to Laos (you do not need to overnight in Laos) & you will get another 90 days in Thailand on return. If you make your last trip to Laos just before the 1 year visa expires you can actually stay in Thailand for nearly 15 months on it.

True Bob, this is the one I wanted originally but for some reason the Thai consulate in Dublin told me it was not available for Irish citizens... We must have pi55ed the Thais off in some way... I blame Bono or Riverdance!

P.S. I will go to AEK Udon today to see if there is life in the immigration Dept. Will report back later.

Stay tuned we will be right back.

Irish Alan wrote:True Bob, this is the one I wanted originally but for some reason the Thai consulate in Dublin told me it was not available for Irish citizens... We must have pi55ed the Thais off in some way... I blame Bono or Riverdance!

Alan, it is a case of which Consulate you try in the UK too.
Hull is no hassle & require very little in the way of form filling. I am told Birmingham are the same, but have never tried. Cardiff are a little more strict in what paperwork they require. But I am reliably informed (well at least it was a year ago) that the Embassy in London should be avoided like the plague.
The immigration authorities for Thailand certainly are as hit & miss abroad as they seem to be in Thailand...